Army Corps of Engineers, led by Lt. Thomas Lincoln Casey, was responsible for directing and completing the work. Casey's first task was to strengthen the foundation of the monument, which he determined was inadequate for the structure as it was designed. For four years, the builders carefully beefed up the support at the base of the foundation to support the massive weight of the superstructure to come. To continue building upward, the masons needed stone. The trouble was that the quarry near Baltimore used for the initial construction was no longer available after so many years.
Seeking a suitable match, the builders turned to a quarry in Massachusetts. However, problems quickly emerged with the quality and color of the stone, and the irregularity of deliveries. After adding several courses of this stone from Massachusetts, still recognizable by the naked eye today as a brown-streaked beltline one-third of the way up the monument, the builders turned to a third quarry near Baltimore that proved more favorable, and used that stone for the upper two-thirds of the structure.
The stone never matched exactly, and the three slightly different colors from the three quarries are distinguishable today.
Rather than ascend to feet as Mills had intended in the original plan, Casey was persuaded to make the height of the structure ten times the width of the base, meaning the optimal height for the Washington Monument was feet.
Plans for ornate adornments on the obelisk and the ring of columns were scrapped in favor of the clean, stark look of a simple obelisk shape. Aesthetic reasons aside, the design choice reduced the cost and allowed for faster construction.
Casey reduced the thickness of the walls from thirteen feet to nine feet between the and foot levels, a transition visible on a visit to the Washington Monument's interior. Using a steam-powered elevator that could lift six tons of stone up to a movable foot-tall iron frame replete with a boom and block and tackle systems for setting the stones, the masons inched their way up the monument, building twenty feet of stone and mortar, then moving the iron framework up twenty feet, repeating as they went upward.
Supported by the buttresses, the angled walls of the pyramidion, anchored by mortoise and tenon joints, climbed inward beginning at feet above ground. On a breezy December 6, , Lt. Casey supervised as the 3,pound capstone was brought out through one of the windows, hoisted to the scaffolding at the dizzying tip of the monument, and set in place. Casey then placed the 8. The Washington Monument was complete, and it had surpassed the Cologne Cathedral to be the tallest building in the world at feet, 5.
Inscribed on the aluminum cap, notable names and dates in the monument's construction are recalled, and on the east face, facing the rising sun, the Latin words "Laus Deo," which translate to, "Praise be to God.
The Washington Monument was dedicated on a chilly February 21, , one day before George Washington's birthday which fell on a Sunday that year. After the completion of the iron staircase in the monument's interior, the Washington Monument was first accessible to the public in , closed much of until it could be better protected from vandals, and reopened in with a public elevator.
Visitors making the ascent could view commemorative stones inset in the walls from various individuals, civic groups, cities, states, and countries from around the world, the tokens of appreciation of Washington's admirers and, in many cases, the donors that contributed to the construction of the Monument in its privately-financed phase.
Today there are of these commemorative stones. The original steam-driven elevator, with a trip time of minutes to the top of the monument, was replaced with an electric elevator in The National Park Service was given jurisdiction over the Washington Monument in , and the first restoration of the structure began as a Depression Era public works project in Additional restoration work occurred in , from , in to repair damage following an earthquake and from for modernization of the elevator.
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The Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world upon its completion in Advisories The waiting area is outdoors and exposed to sun, wind, ambient temperature, and precipitation. No bathrooms, water, food, or other amenities are available inside the Washington Monument. The nearest restrooms are in the Washington Monument Lodge, located at the bottom of the hill to the east of the monument along 15th Street. Visitors who are uncomfortable with heights, enclosed spaces, crowding, and elevators should consider that the Washington Monument involves all these factors.
For your safety, the Washington Monument may be closed for unsuitable weather conditions including high wind and thunderstorms.
Tickets will be voided for the affected entrance times. The waiting area is located on the east side of the Washington Monument inside the circle of flags. Park rangers will direct you to the security screening area in small groups. All visitors are subject to security screening. Weapons, strollers, and bulky items are prohibited. Wheelchairs are permitted. For a full list of restricted items click HERE. You will be directed to the Washington Monument's ground floor lobby.
A park ranger will help you board the elevator for the express ascent to the top floor feet above the ground.
The ride lasts approximately 70 seconds. There is no time limit on the observation level. When you are ready to return, walk down one flight of stairs to the foot level where you will board the elevator for the return trip. You can browse the small museum with exhibits about the history of the Washington Monument while waiting for the elevator.
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